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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H P MHRRIAM SHELL POR HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

Patented July l, 1890.

ATTORNEY x l INVENTH A? fzuwgam/ Y f, 0M.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. P. MERRIAM.. SHELL POR HIGH EXPLOSIVHS.

No. 431,379. Patented July 1, 1890.

wlTNEssEs: v INVENTUR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY P. MERRIAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHELL FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,379, dated July 1, 1890.

Application tiled July 26, 1888. Renewed May 24, 1890. Serial No. 352,981. (No model.)

To-LZZ whoml it 11mg/ concern.-

Be it known that l, HENRY l?. MERRIAM, a citizen' of the United States, residing at the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shells for High Explosives, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which` Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the head of a projectile constructed according to one form of my invention; Fig. 2, a similar View of a modification; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional View of the base of the projectile; Fig. 4, a cross-section on the line b b of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a perspective View of a hammer of the detonating mechanism.

My invention relates to the manner of detonating a highly-explosive shell-chargesuch as dynamite, or nitro-gelatine compound, by percussionand the obj ect is to insure a lpositive action of the detonating apparatus;

to provide an instantaneous act-ion by concussion of the projectile upon a solid, or a delay action by concussion upon a body of water; to insure a discharge should the projectile turn at an angle to the line or its traj ectory at the moment of concussion, or should the head from any other cause strike so as to collapse at a portion aside from its apex; also to promote safety against accidental discharge during the handling or storage or loading of the shell, or to prevent premature discharge during the acceleration of the projectile within the gun by the act of tiring; and the object of my invention is also to provide a construction of the detonating apparatus,whereby the parts may be conveniently accessible for the introduction or removal of the saine from ivithin the shell.

To these ends my invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement ot the detonators and of their containing-tubes axial to the shell, connected in one structure to a removable shell-head, and of the employment of the said detonatorsin two distinct sets, the members of the one set having a simultaneous instant action, the members of the other a simultaneous delay action.

Hy invention also consists of an exterior collapsible head provided for the shell, which is subject to Water concussion operative upon the delay-action fuse, and an interior collapsible head adapted to resist Water concussion, but made subject to concussion upon a solid, and which is operative upon the in stantaneous fuse action.

My invention also consists of an exterior collapsible liquid-filled head, subject to Water concussion, operative upon the delay-action fuse through the medium ot` a diaphragm (or equivalent) exposed to said liquid, and an internal collapsible metallic head, or other- Wise a second liquid-filled head, subject to concussion upon a solid, and operative also by means of a diaphragm (or equivalent) upon the instantaneous-action fuse.

My invention also consists of certain devices having for their function to lock the detonating mechanism in a normally-inactive position, and to automatically release the same, subject to action when the projectile is tired from the gun.

2 is the cylindric body of the shell reduced at the ends, and 3 a conoidal head made separate and secured to the shell 2.

4 is the usual tail-stock or shaft, to which spiral blades or other guiding devices are attached to impart a tWistor rotary motion to the projectile during flight, and to prevent tumbling or fluctuation from its course.

5 is a tube expanded into the aperture of the headtube 2 and extending through the shell into the socket 7 at the rear,- Whicli supports said tube centrally to the surrounding chamber 8, filled with the high explosive shellcharge. The socket 7 is iiared at its flanges for the convenient introduction of the inner end of the tube 5. The tube 5 serves as a casing into which the tube 6 is telescoped. The tube G is attached to the separable conoidal head 3 and is removable therewith from Within the tube 5. The tube 5 in Fig. 1 is circularlycorrugated, as shown, at its forward portion, and the tube 6 is straightat its corresponding portion, whereby the force of collapse of the head 2 will be chieiy received by the tube 6, and drive With it its connected detonating-hammer casings 11.

The detonating-hammer casings 11 and the tube 6 are locked forwardly, and the spindle 14, which retains the hammers 15, is locked IOO rearwardly relative to said casings by means of the locking-latches SO, which lock the foot 65 of the retaining-spindle 14 against the base of the shell and hold the fuse-casings from rear action during the act of firing. The latches 8O have compression-pistons S1, beneath which are springs 82. The gas-pressure within the gun-barrel forces the latches inward during discharge of the projectile, the springs 82 subsequently retiring them.

The casings 11 are provided with circular series of bores, Fig. 4, into which the several hammers 15 are inserted. The hammers are provided with firing-pins 29 to explode the percussion-caps 16 opposite and corresponding to them. The hammers are of the form shown in Fig. 5, having flattened sides which have shoulders 28,upon which the shoulders 17 of the spindle 14 engage and retain said hammers apart from the caps 16. /Vhen the tube 6 is driven back by concussion, the casings 11 move and the hammers 15 remain stationary, exploding the caps by their inertia.

It is to be understood that the hammers 15 maybe fixed to the spindle 14, and thereby caused to abut positively upon the caps 16 by the rearward thrust of the tube 6, in lieu of being permitted to act by inertia alone.

The annular grooves 29* contain the detonating explosive compound-such as fulminate of mercury-which is discharged by the fulminate caps communicating thereto through the channels shown, and the explosion in chambers 29 bursts the surrounding tubular incasement, detonating the shellcharge.

30, Fig. l, is the delay-action detonator composed of multiple fuses having hammers which act by inertia when the tube 31 is driven back bypressure upon the diaphragm 32. The tube 31 is sustained against action by the latches 34, hinged to the ring 35, which said latches enter through the slots 36. The latches 34 are tripped off the tube 31, when the plunger 33 is thrown forward between and against them. The plunger33 is packed air-tight in the tube, and by its inertia is thrown back when the projectile is accelerated bythe act of firing. The compression of air that takes place thereby in the tube back of the plunger reacts upon it after the projectile has left the gun, throwing it between the latches 34 and disengaging them. In lieu of employing the air-cushion back of the plunger 33, or in aid thereof, l may employ a spiral spring within the tube 31, as indicated in Fig. 1, which is compressed and reacts in a similar manner to the air-cushion. The forward end of the tube 31 is secured to or located against the diaphragm 32, leaving the Vacant concavity 9 under said diaphragm. The head 3, made of sheet orV other thin malleable metal, is filled with liquid and is subject to collapse by its impact upon the surface of a body of water at the normal speed of flight. Such collapse at the apex or any portion aside from the apex of the head 3 will therefore impart pressure to the diaphragm 32, thence actuate and discharge the detonator 30, the same bursting through the surrounding tubes 5 and 6.

The detonator 30 is subject to delay action by means of the elongated primers 36 of its fuses, consisting of slow-burning composition conducting ignition from the percussion-caps 16 to the detonatingexplosivein chambers 29.

Concussion of the projectile upon a solid will explode the caps of fuses 30, but simultaneously, and before their delay-action is completed also crush in the head 2 of the shell, giving instant discharge to the detonating mechanism 40, at the rear of the shell.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the tube 5 is secured to the shell-head 2 as before. The tube 6, operative upon the instant-action fuses 40, is connected to a second diaphragm 41 in lieu of being connected to the head 2, as in Fig. 1. The diaphragm 32, active upon the delay-action fuses 30, is borne upon a shield 38, which subdivides the conoidal head into two compartments. The compartments are both filled with liquid, to which the diaphragms are exposed, the latter being compressible into the vacant cavities back of them. The tube 31'is surrounded with a corrugated sleeve 42 at the portion surroundedA by liquid back of the shield 3S, thereby permitting said tube to slide freely within a liquid-tight joint, the corrugated sleeve permittingthe depression of the diaphragm 41. The head 3, shield 3S, and diaphragm-plate 41 are united at their margins, composing a removable conoidal head, which is attached over the shell-head 2 by means of a separable locked joint43 of any well-known construction. The sheet-metal exterior 3 of the conoidal heads may be either smooth-su rfaced or corrugated, as in Fig. 2, or partly corrugated, as in Fig. 1, with circumferential corrugations, whereby the collapse is rendered the more effective. The -construction and operation of the delayaction fuses 30, the tube 31, its locking devices 34, and the weighted plunger 33 are substantially similar to those illustrated in Fig. 1; but I have here shown a modification wherein the plunger 33 is assisted in its action by a supplemental annular plunger 44. The plunger 44 is packed air-tight within the tube 6 and about the tube 31 by the cup-leather packings 45,and a beveled split ring 46 is expanded against the surface of the tube 6, which said beveled ring acts as awedge when the plunger 44 is driven back, preventing its return forwardly. The tube 31 is connected with the interior of the tube 6 through the air-passages 47, and the inertia of both weights 33 and 44 causes the air-compression when the shell is accelerated. The reaction takes effect upon the lighter plunger 33, driving it forward with the force stored by the movement of both plungers, and doubly insures the tripping of the latches 34, in the manner be- IOO fore stated. I have also shown the plunger 33 provided with friction-springs 48 in Fig. 2, whereby it may be retarded from movementby slight shocks between the latches 34, with a view to safety.

It is to be understood that any depressible surface exposed to the liquid in the liquidiilled shell-heads may be substituted for the diaphragm, as 32 and 11, shown-such, for instance, as pistons or plungers; but I prefer the use of diaphragms as being the least expensive of construction.

Having thus fully described` my invention, what I Vcla-im, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, With an explosive shell, of an explodable core-tube fixed axially within the shell, an interior explodable tube fixed to a removable head of the shell telescoping said core-tube and contaiuingor bearing the fuses, and fuse-detonating n1echanism,being the means of withdrawing the same by the removal of the removable head.

2. The combination, with an explosive shell, of an explodable core-tube axial to the shell, an interior explodable fuse-bearing tube telescoping said core-tube, said interior tube bearing and operating a detonating-fuse at its inner portion, and incasing wit-hin it a separate detonating fuse independently operated, substantially as" described.

3. In an .explosive shell, the combination of a collapsible head composed of inner and outer walls, tubes or shafts directly or indirectly connected to the respective heads to move longitudinally by collapse of the same, and corresponding shellcharge detonators connected to the separate tubes or shafts in the nimmer described.

4. The combination,with an explosive shell, of an exterior shell-head collapsible by water concussion, a delay-action percussion-fuse, and a fuse-bearing detonating stem or shaft, whereby the concussion of the exterior head is transmitted to the said delay-fuse, an interior shell-head collapsing by concussion upon a solid, an instantaneous-action percussionfuse, and a fuse-bearing detonating tube or shaft, whereby the concussion of the interior head is transmitted to ythe said instantaneous fuse.

5. The combination, with an explosive shell, of a percussion-fuse, a fuse-detonating shaft projecting toward the head of the shell, a collapsible liquid filled shell-head or compartment thereof, a flexible diaphragm or other movable surface exposed to the liquid within said head or compartment and connected with the detonating-shaft,wlie1eby the shock of concussion is transmitted to the percussion mechanism by the compression of any portion of the liquid-filled space.

6. The combination, with an explosive shell, of an external liquid filled shell-head collapsible by water concussion, a flexible diaphragm exposed to the liquid therein, a delayaction percussion-fuse, and a stem or shaft connecting said diaphragm with the delayfuse to detonatethe same by compression of the external head, an internal collapsible shell-head (or partition tran sverse to the shell) collapsible by concussion of the projectile upon a solid, an instantaneous -action percussion-fuse, and a tube or shaft connecting the same with said internal head to produce detonation by the rupture of said internal head.

7. The combination, with an explosive shell, of an external liquid-iilled shell-head collapsible by water concussion, a flexible diaphragm exposed to the liquid therein, a delay-action percussion-fuse, and a stem or shaft connecting said diaphragm with the delay-fuse to detonate the same by compression of the external head, an internal liquid-filled shell-head adapted to resist Water concussion, but collapsible by concussion of the projectile upon a solid, a iexible diaphragm exposed to the liquid therein, an instantaneous-action percussion-fuse, and a tube or shaft connecting the latter diaphragm with the instantaneous fuse to detonate the same by compression of the internal head.

8. The combination, in an explosive shell, of a series of separate plungers arranged in circular order about a com mon stationary corespindle, shoulders upon the spindle engaging with shoulders upon the respective plungers to retain them permanently from forward displacement, and independent percussion-caps mounted in the fuse-casing clear of the plungers, which f use-casin g is rearwardly movable toward the hammers by the concussion of the projectile.

9. vThe combination, with the herein-described percussion-fuse hammers arranged in multiple series circularly Within barrels therefor in the fuse-casing, of a retaining-spindle 14, lon gitudin al to the projectile, having shoulders that partly intersect the surrounding barrels to engage with corresponding shoulders upon the said hammers for the purpose of permanently retaining them in the manner described.

1 10. rlhe combination, with the retainingspindle li and hammers l5, of the foot 65, connected to said retaining-spindle, and the pressure actuated latches 80, extending through the base of the shell to engage or disengage between the said spindle-foot and the rear of the fuse-casin gs by application or release, respectively, of gas-pressure from the rear of the projectile upon the pistons of said latches, as set forth.

11. The combination, with the longitudinally-movable fuse-actuating tube 3l, of the hinged latches 34, projecting into slots therein to lock the same, the reciprocating plunger 33, capable of unseating the latches at a for- Ward point of its stroke, and an elastic cushion that Will react upon said plunger when it is driven thereon by inertia to thrust it toward the latches.

IOO

IIO

ISO

12. The Combination, with the longitudiinterior of a surrounding tube connected by nelly-movable fuse-actuating tube 3l, of the nir-passages to co-operu-te with the Said plun- 1o hinged latches 3l, projecting therein to loek ger in the manner set forth. the saine, un inertiwueting und compression- T f reacting plunger 33, fitting within said tube HENRX P' MERRIAM' adapted to disengztge the said latches by its Vitnesses: reacting movement, and 2t compression-plun- HENRY F. PARKER, ger fitting the exterior of said tube and the CHAS. XV. FORBES. 

